Section 1. Preamble

Whereas, the Commonwealth is suffering from an epidemic of substance abuse; and

Whereas, Substance abuse impacts every community of the Commonwealth; and

Whereas, Substance abuse treatment and medication assisted treatment are inaccessible in some communities of the Commonwealth; and

Whereas, some substance abuse treatment and medication assisted treatment services are jointly overseen by state and federal agencies; and

Whereas, state and federal coordination in the expansion of substance abuse and medication assisted treatment can better serve the residents of the commonwealth; and

Whereas, the General Court of Massachusetts requires more information to ensure equitable access to substance abuse treatment and medically assisted treatment services; now therefore be it

Resolved, that the General Court of Massachusetts hereby requests the Massachusetts department of health and human services to study the regional demand and distribution of substance abuse treatment services and medically assisted treatment services in the Commonwealth; and be it further

Resolved, that the General Court of Massachusetts hereby requests the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to participate and support said study.

Section 2. Definitions

As used in the following chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meaning:

“Distribution” shall mean a number in each municipality of the Commonwealth.

Section 3. Study

The department of health and human services shall submit a report to the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse, the clerks of the house and senate, the secretary of administration and finance, and the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means no later than December 1, 2017. The report shall include the distribution of reports of opiate overdoes within the Commonwealth, the distribution of the last known residence of each victim of overdoes, the distribution and capacity of substance abuse treatment services, the distribution and capacity of medically assisted treatment services, and the distribution of alcohol and drug free housing when available. The report shall also include a preliminary analysis of the treatment expansions or reductions, and their costs to the state, required to match the demands for substance abuse and medically assisted treatment in the commonwealth with the distribution of service capacity. This report shall be known as the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Treatment Expansion Strategy.